Welding machine



Jain. 1, 1935. s. MOREIRA 1,986,740

WE'LDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 29. 1933 "3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. 54LV400,? MORE/E14 HIS ATTORNEYS.

WELDING MACHINE Filed- Dec. 29. 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 64LV/IDOE MORE/EH,

/-//5 ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 1, 1935. s. MOREIRA 1,986,740

WELDING MACHINE.

INVENTOR. 54L wqpo/e MORE/E4,

m5 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 1,, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WELDING MACHINEApplication December 29, 1933, Serial No. 704,556

3 Claims. (01. 219-17) This invention relates to welding machines, theobjects including the provision of an improved means for clamping thework to be welded together, so that there is no undue damage from 6sparking or mechanical unsteadiness. They also include the provision ofa novel means for operating a work clamping means so that the variousparts which must necessarily move when the work is brought to a weldingposition, do not bind or require excessive operating power. Otherobjects may be inferred.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a buttwelding machine embodying thepresent invention, the various figures being as follows:

Figure l, a top view;

Figure 2, a front view; and

Figure 3, a sectional rnd view.

This machineincludes a base frame 1 which mounts a stationary support 2and a movable platen 3. Dies i and 5 are mounted by the support 2 andthe platen 3, the work to be welded together being clamped to these-diesand the platen 3 being moved by a rotary cam 6 operating through aspring 7.

The machine being described is primarily intended for use in themanufacture of rail bonds by the flash butt-welding process. In thisproces the pieces to be welded together are held in easy contact witheach other so that sparking so occurs between the two, whereupon theyare moved together with great force; Consequently, the pieces beingwelded lmust be .very firmly clamped, since electrical between them andthe dies, or mechanical unsteadiness, may

35 spoil the product.

Now in the manufacture of rail bonds, one or'bothofthepiecestobeweldedtogetheraremade of copper. This introducesdiiliculties which are not met when the material being welded is steel.

40 Clamp arrangements operated by fluid cylinders or'mechanical camshave otten proven unsatisfactory under such circumstances.

One of the reasons some arrangements are not 45sogoodisthefacttlntthememberswhichmust clamp the work against the diescannot be prop- .erly'alined. Thatis to my, there'is a tendency toloosely engage the work immediately adjacent the weld, heating andmassive sparking then so takingplace.

Another trouble is that the platen which must move, is ordinarily'aslichhle aifair working in a straight line at tracks. a lever operatingthe damning member and extending to an operating can or cylinder motor.has introduces a severe torque in the platen, causing binding and thenecessary use of heavy operating power.

To eliminate the above undesirable conditions, the platen 3 of themachine being described has one portion 3" mounted for turning movement5 about an axis so that another portion 3* may be swung toward the fixedsupport 2. This mounting may be done by providing a heavy vertical axle3 to which the platen is fastened. Preferably, an arm 9 is used to bracethe platen against its weight, and roller thrust-bearings 10 provided toeliminate friction, as will be described. It is obvious that the portion3 of the platen moves in a curve and that it, along with the die 5 andits cooperating clamping member, constitutes a work holding means.

This clamping member 4, which holds the work in the die '4, is mountedby one end of an arm 11 having its other end adjustably mounted forturning movement to permit this member to'swing towards the die. Suchmounting may be by means of a suitable bearing 12 carried by a support12 whose position may be controlled by nuts 13 carried by a screw 14.This screw and the arm 12 are mounted by the fixed part of the machine.

A similar arm 15 is mounted by a bearing 16 carried by a'support 16which may be adjusted by nuts 17 on a screw 18. These elements are allmounted by the platen 3 at its swinging portion 3. This arm 15 carries amember 5' for engagement with work in the die 5.

The arms 11 and 15, when provided with a suitable powering agency, serveto clamp the work to the dies 4 and 5. It should be noted that themembers 4 and 5 move in a curve, whereby adjustment of the bearings 12and 16 enable engagement of the work at difiering points. That is tosay, an upward. movement of the bearings 12 and 16 will cause the workto be clamped at points closely adjacent the weld, this being desirablesince it eiiects the shortest possible path ,for the welding currentsupplied to the dies 4 and 5. Diiierent sizes of work may beaccommodated by such adjustment.

A further feature of the above is the respective arrangement of the arms11 and 15. This is such that the two arms mutually aline when the platen3 is swung towards the support 2 in the welding operation, the armsturning points be- 5 ing at opposite extremes so that the members 4* and5 may properly cooperate with the dies 4 and 5. This arrangement securesthe desired concentrated clamping effect close to the weld.

Host welding machines also cause trouble when operated according to thefiash butt-welding process. in that the flash wastage falls on thenecessary electrical transformer. In the machine being described thetransformer 19 is mounted at an elevated position by a framework 20.This transformer may be of the usual type, the welding current beingtransmitted from it to the dies by heavy fiexible leads 21. It isobvious that the transformer is protected against flash wastage becauseof its elevated position.

Another important feature of the invention is the method of powering thearms 11 and 15, and particularly respecting the latter arm which ismounted by the movable platen 3 it being remembered that bindingfrequently occurs here in other arrangements. This powering is done bylevers 22 and 23 which extend from operative connections with the arms11 and 15 toward the axis aboutwhich the platen 3 turns. Morespecifically, these arms extend until adjacent-and substantially in linewith the axle 8.

Cams 24 and 25'operate'the ends of the levers 22 and 23 which arefulcrumed by axles-26 and 27, the operative connection between theselevers and the arms 11 and 15 being by way of stub arms 28 and 29, thelatter connecting to the clamping arms through adjustable screws 30 and31. Springs 32 and 33 keep the levers 22 and 23 in engagement with thecams 24 and 25, and also serve to lift the arms 11 and 15 to releasepositions.

Now it is to be particularly noted that the cams 24 and 25 are carriedby a shaft 34 journaled in a yoke 35. This is mounted by the base frame1 so as to position the shaft 34 at a rightangle to the axle 8 anddirectly over and in line with the same. Rotation of these cams, in theoperation of the levers 22 and 23, naturally results in a force tendingto tip the turning portion 3 of the platen 3 upwardly, as well as anequal force tending to push the shaft 34 downwardly. According to thepresent invention, these forces are balanced against each other wherebyno torque results in the platen.

Thus, the yoke 35 is mounted by the frame -1 so as to transmit the pushfrom the shaft 34 through the frame, members 1* to the thrust bearings10, this placing-the force on the axle 8 to which the turning portion 1of the platen is fixed and thereby accomplishing the desired result,since the axle carries the. torque counteracting force to the platen.

The other end of the. yoke 35 is mounted directly in connection with thefixed support 2, whereby the same result is secured except without theaid'of the axle. The turning movement of the lever 23 respecting the cam25, resulting from the swinging of the platen 3, is so slight that notrouble is experienced.

A motor 36, which drives through a gear reduction unit 37 and gearing38, powers the shaft 34. This shaft 34 is geared to a shaft 39 on whichthe cam 6 is mounted. All the parts are synchronized so that the arms 22and 23 are operated to clamp the work to the dies 4 and 5, whereupon theplaten 3 is swung in the welding operation, the levers 22 and 23 beingfinally released so that the work is unclamped. This sequence ofoperations, and the application and duration of the welding current, maybe timed according to the desires of the operator of the machine.

All of the details shown by the drawings are not specifically describedbecause they are not needed for the purpose of disclosing the featuresof the present invention.

I claim:

1. A welding machine including the combination of a support, .workclamping means associated with said support, an axle, a platen havingone portion turning on said axle so that another portion may swingtowards said support, work clamping means associated with the swingingportion of said platen for registration with the first named clampingmeans, a lever in operative connection with the first named clampingmeans and extending until adjacent and substantially in line with saidaxle, a. lever in operative connection with the second named clampingmeans and extending until adjacent and substantially in line with saidaxle, cams operatively associated with the first and second namedlevers, a shaft for mounting said cams and means for mounting said shaftso as to transmit forces from the same to the turning portion of saidplaten.

2; A welding machine including two supports, one of which may be movedtowards the other,

each of said supports mounting two cooperative members between whichwork is clamped, in each instance one of said members being stationaryrespecting the other and an arm mounting the latter member at one end,the other ends of said.

arms being respectively mounted for turning movements by the respectivesupports, and said arms being arranged for mutual alinement when saidmovable support is moved towards the other of said supports.

3. A welding machine including a'stationary support, a platen having oneportionturning on an axis so that another portion may swing toward saidfixed support, said support and said-platen at. its swinging portioneach mounting two cooperative members between which work is clamped, ineach instance one of said members being stationary respecting the otherand an arm mounting the latter member at one end, the other ends of saidarms being respectively mounted by said supp rt and said platen forturning movement and said arms being arranged for mutual alinement whensaid platen swings towards said support, levers being arranged inoperative connection with said arms and extending towards the axis onwhich said platen turns and cams being provided for moving said levers,the cam moving the lever operating the arm on said platen being mountedto transmit the force resulting from movement of said lever to theturning portion of said platen.

SALVADOR MOREIRA.

